In the study, which was led by HI-STEM postdoc Marc Thier, we have succeeded for the first time to directly reprogram human blood cells into a previously unknown type of neural stem cell. These induced stem cells are similar to those that occur during the early embryonic development of the central nervous system. They can be modified and multiplied indefinitely in the culture dish and can represent an important basis for the development of regenerative therapies.

Within the study, the team has succeed for the first time to reprogram mature human cells in such a way that a defined type of induced neural stem cells is produced that can multiply almost indefinitely. The work was a cooperation with stem cell researcher Frank Edenhofer from the University of Innsbruck and neuroscientist Hannah Monyer from DKFZ and appeared in Cell Stem Cell.